Sarah Todd: End of school holidays and time to say farewell to a reliable old lady

IT took a while to get into gear this week as we’ve been away for a few days.The Husband declared himself as having too much on to join us, so yours truly was left in charge of four children (two of them mine plus a couple of their friends).
By The Newsroom
Published 29th Aug 2011, 15:03 BST

We went to one of those ‘fun’ places with waterslides, funfair rides and an amusement arcade.

The caravan we stayed in was chosen (to keep you-know-who happy) from the most basic range but the children declared it better than our house as it had a flat-screen television and all mod cons.

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It was interesting to note all the jobs that had been done when we arrived home. The fear must have been that there’d be trouble if somebody so “busy” hadn’t got anything done.

The hedges were cut, the pony trailer greased, a sign made for the campers, weeds sprayed, a trip to the tip made …

On our journey home we saw combines galore.

Our daughter is desperate to take her new pony for a gallop up a stubble field and has been pulling the most “you are boring” faces at me for pointing out that we don’t want to whizz a four year-old up.

Her old pony turned into a maniac (he was well into his 20s when he arrived here) at this time of year. When he was young he’d been owned by farmers’ sons who’d obviously galloped him full pelt on every bit of stubble they’d ever come across.

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We’ve enjoyed the school holidays. There will be sadness at the end as old Katie the loan pony will be returning home. Either for retirement or an easier life with a tiny tot who wants to learn how to pick a pony’s feet out, groom and pootle about a bit.

She’s such a special old lady. She puts her head down so that little ones can get the headcollar on and lifts her hooves up automatically without the need for any Thelwell-style heaving.

If any readers are interested in being considered for her, do drop me your details and they will get passed on to her owners.

Our youngest jockey has, thanks to Katie, got going off the leadrein now so the whole stressful saga of pony hunting will begin again.

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It does seem to be that you just get one rigged up and then there’s the other one to sort. As always, any suggestions appreciated.

First though, there’s a birthday to think about.

He sold all the Thomas the Tank Engine stuff (duvet cover, bedside lamp etc) at the car boot sale and he is now after an army-themed bedroom.

Must be tired as I replied, “oh really, that would be brilliant” when a local joker said they could lay their hands on some tins of camouflage paint…

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